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Joe Higgs follow up to the classic Life of Contradiction album, Unity is Power is a mellower set of tracks. The song writing is as clear and as lucid as ever. Possibly reggae musics most accomplished artist and certainly one of its most talented musicians. Joe Higgs glides through a self produced album that has never had a re-release since it original release. The vinyl is 180gram and the cd has 2 bonus tracks. “I like phrasing my voice like an instrument. I love jazz. People will always be ahead of people. Some walk, some run, some creep. I’m not concerned about success. Music is my teacher. But it’s not good to be ahead of time, because life is a progression.”

Reviews

Joe Higgs — Unity is Power

MARCIA HIGGS, Oct 31, 2013

I LOVE - LOVE - LOVE - LOVE - LOVE this album!!! "Unity Is Power" has always been my personal favorite Joe Higgs album, for the simple fact that, I can literally hear his SIMPLE HEART coming through his BIG VOICE!!! Yeah, that's my Dada... HIS BARK WAS ALWAYS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN HIS BITE... because underneath his NOISE was that SIMPLE, LOVING, CARING, PASSIONATE SOUL, that he had spent his whole life TRYING to conceal. In fact, the very first thing that I missed about him was the one thing I despised the most -- HIS BIG BARK... because it dawned on me that I would never hear him yell my name again!!! Yup... that's when reality struck, that my Dada was really gone!!! But back to the album, if you have never purchased a JOE HIGGS album in your life... and even if you own an original copy of this, the bonus track on this re-issue, entitled, "INVITATION TO JAMAICA," is well worth the double up because of its history. It was with this song that JOE HIGGS won the JAMAICA TOURISM COMPETITION in 1972. One of the prizes were a trip to NEW YORK, making him one of the FIRST REGGAE AMBASSADORS to AMERICA!!! :)

Joe Higgs — Unity is Power

Unreleased Jammys dub plates that have been lovingly brought to us from Dub Store in Japan. Nitty Gritty on the tempo rhythm. No idea why this has never been released before as its really nice! 'Soundboy come'

A previously unreleased version of Jimmy Rileys thoughtful Gunman of JA. As relevant now than when it was originally released according to Jimmy. Both sides come from dub plates that were re-mixed at King Tubbys. Tougher leaner and deeper than the original mixes. The A side is not on the new album ‘Live it to know it’. Essential roots music from Jimmy Riley backed by Sly and Robbie. Comes in a hand stamped sleeve.

Two cuts of ‘Everybody needs money’ on the A side. A sparse moody observation on social inequality ‘It's the talk of the town, no money going around’. Sound familiar? It came first time around on the ‘Full Moon’ label and has never been re-pressed. The B-side, which has 2 cuts of Reggae Music, also came on the Full Moon label. Engineered by Scientist and was probably recorded slightly later than the A side. Both the versions of Reggae Music are not included on the ‘Live it to know it’ album. Comes in a hand stamped sleeve.

Seventeen track set of Jimmy Riley self productions. Some real obscurities mixed with classic material. Jimmy started out with the Uniques as a harmony singer and then moved on to become a lead vocalist after Slim Smiths death. Jimmy worked with Jamaica's best producers as well as crafting an excellent body of work that were released on his own labels such Pee, Yes and Full Moon. This set focus's on his his self produced protest song between 1975 to 1985.